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Friday, May 22, 2009

I was walking around the VF Outlet this week in search of a Cast Iron Skillet in which to make some yummy breakfast potatoes (breakfast for dinner is the THING to do) when I stumbled into the deeply discounted book section. I always take a gander at the "Religion" section, which contains a lot of Christian classics, self help books, and guides to being a better Buddhist, but the Judaica is typically lacking.

So imagine my delight when I spotted not only ONE Judaica book but TWO! So, at $4.99 a pop, I purchased them both. One is a book whose name escapes me as I am currently in Tuvia's Jeep, flying down the highway to our Poconos getaway. The other, cradled in my lap, is "Judaism for Everyone" by the illustrious Shmuely Boteach, who, might I add is going to appear (again...) on Today with Kathy Lee and Hoda next week.

I don't know a lick about this book, whether its miserable, fluff, brilliant, or life altering, but I took the bait. The font on the cover was appealing and the subtitle suggests that the book will help me renew my life through vibrant lessons of the Jewish faith. Either way, I am enjoying the talking points so far in the chapter on the Sabbath.

So as Shabbos approaches, I will leave you with the following thought from Shmuely.

"Social commentators could read much into the modern obsession with squeezing the most out of life and the lust for professional success. ... The Jewish diagnosis would be that this is the age-old misguided scenario of the earth's inhabitants sacrificing time in the acquisition of area, expending precious moments in the conquest of space, squandering their lives to gain possessions. One of the principle objectives of Judaism, however, is to teach people to value time far more than space, indeed, to dedicate space toward the acquisition of time."

And with that in mind, I bid all a Shabbat shalom and a Happy Memorial Day weekend! Relax, and value your time of peace, no matter how fleeting.

On Jews

He has made a marvellous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?